On July 25, 2005, the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) implemented the new Restaurant Meals Program throughout Los Angeles County. This program offers great benefits to eligible individuals since the homeless do not have a place to store and cook food, while the elderly and disabled may have difficulty preparing meals for themselves.

For many elderly, disabled and homeless individuals, CalFresh is of limited assistance as they are unable to store or prepare food safely themselves. This is why California has chosen a federal option that allows these CalFresh participants to purchase prepared food through the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP). The RMP allows elderly, disabled and homeless CalFresh participants to purchase hot, prepared meals with their EBT cards at approved restaurants. For all other CalFresh participants, federal rules preventing the purchase of prepared food still apply.

On a basic level, many RMP eligible participants do not have the tools, appliances or physical abilities necessary to prepare their own meals. The disabled, elderly or homeless CalFresh recipient who eats at a RMP certified restaurant will be nourished by an affordable meal in a food-safe environment and benefit from eating in a public place that welcomes their presence, as opposed to in isolation or on the streets looking over their shoulder. The RMP program is truly an anti-hunger program.